Sink mounting construction



July 2, 1963 M. J JUST 3,095,580

SINK MOUNTING CONSTRUCTION Filed June 5, 1962 United States PatentOflice Patented July 2, 1963 3,095,580 SINK MOUNTING CONSTRUCTION MatyasJ. Just, 3000 Sheridan Road, Chicago, Ill. Filed June 5, 1962, Ser. No.200,199 1 Claim. (Cl. 4-187) This invention relates to a sink anddrainboard mounting construction. More particularly, the inventionrelates to an improved clamping and attaching structure for connecting asink to a drainboard.

A prime object of this invention is to provide an improved attachingstructure for connecting a sink to a drainboard, the said constructionbeing an improvement over my sink mounting arrangement disclosed in myPatent No. 3,029,445, patented April 17, 1962.

Another object is to provide an improved mounting construction forattaching a sink to a drainboard wherein the construction includesclamping elements which are readily adjustable to provide an effectiveattaching means without the utilization of a separate attaching ringsuch as is used in many conventional sink mounting structures.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved mountingconstruction for attaching a sink within the opening of a drainboard,the said attaching construction including clamping means which are bothhorizontally and vertically adjustable to a plurality of positions so asto facilitate the attachment of the sink rim to the drainboard.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved clampingmeans including a plurality of clamping elements which permit the quickattachment of the sink structure within the opening of a drainboardwherein the clamping elements can be manually adjusted to tightly clampthe sink rim and sealing engagement with the upper edge of thedrainboard.

Another and important object of the invention is to provide a sink bowlhaving a plurality of channel brackets fastened underneath the rim ofsaid bowl, the channel brackets including improved seating means forsupporting the upper ends of an L-shaped clamp, the said clamps beingvertically adjustable relative to the seating means to accommodatedifferent thicknesses in drainboards and to effectively secure the saidsink to the drainboard by the simple manipulation of a threadedfastener.

These and other objects will become more readily apparent from a readingof the description when examined in connection with the accompanyingsheet of drawing.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a portion of a drainboard having a sinksecured thereto;

FIGURE 2 is an underneath view of a sink connected to a drainboard, thesaid view disclosing attaching brackets and a plurality of clampingelements securing the said sink to the drainboard;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken along the line 33 ofFIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of an improved clamping element;

FIGURE 5 is a front view of the improved clamping element shown inFIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of the improved clamping element shown inFIGURES 4 and 5.

Referring now to the drawing, a sink and drainboard construction isgenerally shown by the reference character 10. The sink is generallydesignated at 11 and the drainboard is generally designated at 12. Thedrainboard is of a laminated construction having an upper surface 13 anda lower surface 14, these surfaces being of a generally conventionalplastic construction. The drainboard 12 is provided with an opening 15in which the sink 11 is positioned.

The sink comprises a rim portion 16 extending around a bowl generallydesignated at 17. The portion 16 at its peripheral edge is provided withan arcuate edge 16 which, as best shown in FIGURE 3, is seatedon theportions of the drainboard 12 adjacent the opening 15. The bowl 17 maybe of a conventional stainless steel construction and includes a drainopening 15.

The sink 11 is provided with a plurality of channel brackets designatedat 19, these being suitably secured to the underneath side of the rimportion 16, as best shown in FIGURE 3. The brackets 19 may be secured tosaid rim portion 16 by welding or other conventional securing means. Asbest shown in FIGURE 2, four of the brackets 19 are employed. Eachbracket comprises an upper fiat portion 20 and includes a pair ofinwardly turned flanges 21 which have their ends suitably spaced apartto provide an elongated slot in each of the brackets 19. A downwardlyextending lip 22 is connected to one of the flanges 21 which flange isdisposed closest to the sink bowl 17. The downwardly extending lip 22 isof substantial length as best shown in FIGURE 3, the said lip alsoextending coextensive with the length of each of the brackets 19. Thedownwardly extending lips 22 of the brackets 19 provide on oppositesides thereof vertical seating portions 23. These seating portions thusare in opposed relation on opposite sides of the lip 22.

Improved means for securely connecting the sink 11 to the drainboard 12are provided by means of L-sh-aped clamps generally designated at 24.Each L-shaped clamp 24, as shown in FIGURES 4, 5 and 6, is provided witha generally horizontal leg having at one end an offset horizontalportion 26 and at its other end a plurality of transversely spacedprongs 26' projecting upwardly. The offset horizontal portion 26 isprovided with a vertically extending threaded opening 27. The clamp 24includes an upwardly extending member providing a first vertical finger28 disposed between and spaced from laterally spaced fingers 29 whichprovide a slot or recess 30 of slightly greater width than the lip 22. Athreaded fastener 31 is screwed through the opening 27, the saidthreaded fastener having at its lower end a screwdriver slot 32 andbeing provided at its upper end with a head 33 which is supported in thebrackets 19 by the flanges 21. Thus the head 33 and fastener 31 mayslide longitudinally within the brackets 19 to permit horizontaladjustment as desired.

During the installation the sink bowl is disposed within the opening 15with the edges 16' seated in the position shown in FIGURE 3. It is thena simple matter to insert the fasteners 31 and each of the clamps isthen applied with the lips 22 disposed in the slots 30 in matingrelation. Since the lips 22 are of substantial length and the fingers 28and 29 are also of substantial length, the clamps 24 permit the securingof sinks to a vast variety of drainboards of different thicknesses. Thusthe thickness of the drainboard will in no way cause difficulty duringthe installation of the sink. Further, during the turning action of thethreaded fastener 31, the fingers 28 and 29 maintain the position of theclamps against turning movement as well as cocking movement since thefingers 28 and 29 are in engagement with the lip on opposite sidesthereof to effectuate a positive positioning of the clamp duringtightening of the threaded fastener 31. Thus turning of the clamp isprevented as well as cocking of the clamp and the prongs 26 efiectivelypenetrate the lower edge of the drainboard to securely draw the edge 16into tight engagement with the upper edge of the drainboard.

Thus a simple and yet very effective clamp is provided which will remainin the position as shown in FIGURE 3 during the tightening of thefastener 31 so that, in effect, the operator merely inserts ascrewdriver in the slot 32 without the utilization of any further toolsor holding members.

Thus the objects of the invention have been fully achieved, and it mustbe understood that changes and modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention, as disclosed, or from thescope thereof as defined in the appended claim.

What is claimed is.

In a sink structure including a drainboard having a certain thicknessdimension and an opening, a sink positioned within said opening, saidsink including a bowl and a horizontal rim extending around said bowl,said rim having an edge portion engaging the upper surface of saiddrainboard; a clamping structure for securing said sink to saiddrainboard comprising a channel bracket connected to said rim andprojecting downwardly within said opening, said bracket including a pairof horizontal inwardly extending flanges having edges spaced apart toprovide on said bracket a slot, a downwardly extending lip on one ofsaid flanges and being substantially horizontally coextensive therewith,said lip providing on opposite sides thereof opposed vertical seatingportions substantially the thickness dimension of said drainboard, aplurality of securing clamps supported on said bracket, said clamps eachhaving a horizontal leg extending underneath said drainboard, saidhorizontal leg including a first horizontal portion engaging theunderneath side of said drainboard, said leg further including adownwardly extending second portion connected to said first portion anda third horizontal portion disposed vertically in alignment with saidchannel bracket, and a vertical member on each clamp connected to saidthird horizontal portion, said vertical member including at least onepair of vertical fingers horizontally spaced from each other and havingopposed flat faces to provide a slot of greater width than said lip,said flat faces of said fingers overlapping and engaging said opposedseating portions whereby the greater portion of said lip is disposed insaid slot of said clamp, said third horizontal portion of said leghaving a threaded opening, a vertical threaded fastener extendingthrough said opening, said fastener extending through the slot of saidbracket and having at its upper end a head 0 which is slidablehorizontally within said bracket whereupon tightening of said fastenersaid sink is secured to said drainboard.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,727,248 Switzer Dec. 20, 1955 2,996,730 Hornik Aug. 22, 1961 3,029,445Just Apr. 17, 1962 OTHER REFERENCES Domestic Engineering, page 72,January 1962.

